Pushing Limits
by Emo Fox
Summary: Gaara goes into heat, and Lee knows it's definitely not the right time to confess his love. How can he hope to come off as sincere during this frenzied time? {Omegaverse AU} {Updated every Saturday} {Mostly PWP} Lee x Gaara
1. Warning

"Pushing Limits"

'Chapter One - Warning'

By: Emo Fox

It was the start of summer in Sunagakure.

It hadn't quite been a year since Rock Lee had been stationed in Suna, and this was his first experience with summer in this village. Lee at first didn't think the desert could be any hotter(he had forced himself to get used to the sweltering temperatures by training during the hottest times of the day), but he had definitely been proven wrong.

It didn't help that the water here was usually room temperature, there was no cold storage(aside from storing things underground), no ice or frozen treats that he had taken for granted back in Konoha. It was almost strange the lack of luxuries here, but it made sense; the village was remote, quite literally in the middle of a desert the edges surrounded by tall craggy mountains, and only man made cargo, dried plants, fruits, and meats could make the trip along the long caravan routes.

The temperature even in the council room was pushing his limits, and the flimsy paper fan that had been provided was doing little(despite his frantic waving). Everyone else on the council, both young and old didn't seem bothered by the heat, and maybe that was worse. It made Lee feel like he needed to try harder to stave off the pressing humidity in the dense space. But, there was only so much he could do, even if he tried to mentally displace himself somewhere far away, somewhere cold and comfortable, it just didn't work for long.

It wasn't just the summer that was bothering Lee so completely; it was the fact that all he could smell was Gaara. Even in this room full of alphas, even with all the port windows open, even with the intense muggy air in the room, the only thing he could even focus on was Gaara's distinct spicy fragrance. The smell felt heavy, like it was syrup on his tongue, tar in his nose, and honey in his lungs. It was impossible to not notice; and he didn't know how everyone else could be so at ease, so oblivious, so uncaring to it-

Everyone else seemed to be unaware of Gaara's heat.

But, that couldn't be right, surely all these men and women had noses that worked(aside from the two beta guards), so why did it feel like he was the only one falling apart?

Even Gaara looked calm and collected!

No matter how fast Lee fanned, he couldn't displace the pheromone rich air away from him quick enough and he felt like he was being slowly poisoned. He had never been around an omega in heat before; and granted, it was supposedly just the first day of it, he had heard stories about what this event was supposed to entail. His sex ed class in middle school had tried to prepare them all somewhat for when they'd reach puberty and their secondary gender would be revealed.

Since everyone in the class was genderless at that time, they had all been subjected to the different slide shows and lectures. Though, it was all a bit vague, now that he thought back on it.

The horror stories he heard when he got a little older, of heat frenzy and barbaric alpha behavior is mostly what scared him into trying to control his sexual urges as much as possible. Even when puberty had hit, and he had became an alpha, he was determined to muscle down his animal side as best he could. Gai-sensei had been a great help in teaching him self control through the rigorous training regimes he implemented, and whenever he started to feel something more base, he'd go on a run or do push ups until his muscles hurt, or anything at all until his body was too exhausted to focus on anything else but the fatigue.

Maybe that wasn't the most healthy way of dealing with those things, but it had helped him through the tough times of his youth and now that he was eighteen, things were a little easier in that department(or so he thought).

Most everyone Lee personally associated with were beta or alpha; and those few omega he did know were never outside or around him at least during their 'time of the year', so he had absolutely no experience in these matters. All he really knew was that it was also making him extremely uncomfortable; he was starting to feel a build of arousal pooling hot in his belly, and his muscles were all bunched up and tense.

He couldn't just leave the council room, that would be rude and it would reflect badly on the village he was here to represent; even if he wanted to run around Suna until he passed out. He was so full of energy, the air felt like static against him, and he wanted to do something. What exactly that something was, he didn't know, but he had an embarrassing idea that the something definitely involved Gaara.

Lee had sort of ignored this subject entirely as he grew up; when Sakura had presented as a beta he had latched onto her almost immediately. She had been safe, scentless, and void of this heat that could apparently send even the most well trained ninja into a death spin of sexual desire. Not that Sakura had returned his affections in any way; not even when her crush Sasuke had presented as an omega and sort of dashed her chances(not that there weren't omega/beta romances, it was just highly unlikely). Not that he minded, since Lee couldn't be positive he had ever been in 'love' with her at all, especially not since he sort of knew what love was now.

Sort of, because he didn't want to label those emotions yet; and especially not now, when this was fogging up his brain.

Maybe, if he could admit it to himself, he was a little afraid of what this heat was, and how it would be affecting his friend, and how badly it would affect him in turn.

It was only supposed to span a week or less; and he knew the basic mechanics of what it meant and what it was supposed to do. Aside from vulgar schoolyard tales, and the technical babble of it from his sex ed class, he didn't have much information to go on. All he knew now was how badly it was affecting him, and how it didn't seem to be affecting Gaara at all; at least not outwardly.

Gaara was stationed at the far side of the round stone table, his back to the wall, having a good view of everyone in the room as well as the main doors. It was a strategic spot, even if everyone currently in the room could be considered friends and allies, habits like that were just ingrained in a shinobi. His green eyes looked clear, his skin void of the sand armor was a warm almond color, his bright red hair a controlled mess, not a piece sticking to him at all, hinting that Gaara wasn't even sweating either from the stuffiness of the room or the heat he was currently experiencing. He was wearing his usual ceremonial robes of white linen, his wide hat with the Suna symbol on it was placed in front of him, and he was positioned like everyone else was, on their knees on a colored pillow.

Gaara's plush lips moved just slightly as he spoke, and Lee was very aware of his mouth even if he couldn't hear what he was saying. Lee also noticed when Gaara would reach up to gently tug at his collar, running his hands along the edges, almost touching his own skin but not quite before his hand would fall again to lay prone in his lap; the only visible sign he had that something was bothering Gaara. The leader of the sand village was not prone to fidgeting or showing any usual signs of outward worry or distress; so the gesture spoke volumes to Lee(who had spent months so far getting closer to his friend and observing the micro expressions he often had regarding the world around him).

Lee tried not to be so engrossed in everything Gaara was doing, but it was impossible. When he did manage to look away he became extremely aware of just how many alphas were in the room and he'd become extremely agitated.

This many alphas gathered in one space, with Gaara at the head of the table, the very center of attention, made Lee very upset.

Upset was a vague word to use; especially when he was feeling so many things at once, but it was all he could think to classify it as, because he was feeling extreme duress in this situation. He tried counting backwards from a thousand in his head, but then his eyes would catch one of the alpha elders reaching to hand Gaara something and he'd focus on the gesture, hyper aware when their hands would briefly touch and the communications would resume after Gaara had studied the form.

It was all innocent diplomatic duty, but Lee was starting to feel a pressure, was starting to feel paranoid with everything going on around him. He couldn't even really make out what they were all murmuring to each other since he was seated far from the low round table, on a pillow near the wall. Konoha was not the focal point of this current discussion, but it was polite to have him present during village affairs, since he was the liaison between the most prominent ally Suna currently had.

"You're going to break it if you keep waving that thing around like a lunatic." Kankuro said at Lee's left, his voice a tense rumble of sound.

Lee immediately stopped his desperate fanning, the flush on his face a mix of the embarrassment he immediately felt under the eye of Gaara's brother as well as just a byproduct of the stuffy room they were in, "My apologies Kankuro-san, I'll replace it if it is damaged."

Kankuro shrugged, "You're just drawing attention to yourself and it's hardly making things less hot here."

The meeting had already spanned about an hour, Lee noticed that delegations tended to go much slower when Temari was out of Suna. She definitely had a way with words and flourished in her role as advisor to the Kazekage; but currently she was stationed in Konoha on a 'mission' that was really just a cleverly disguised ploy for her to spend time with Shikamaru(not that Lee knew that gossip of course, because he definitely didn't gossip, but maybe he had overheard a thing or two).

Lee's lips had drawn into a pensive frown, his eyes still rooted to the council members, but mostly Gaara, "Kankuro-san, can I ask you something?"

"Gaara is in control of himself, he can manage this control about three or four days before, ya'know, the storm hits," He said casually, "Usually it only lasts about five days, so he can almost make it, so don't worry about it."

The Konoha shinobi turned to Kankuro suddenly, his face aflame, his black eyes looking at Kankuro's bemused expression. He also noticed that even with Kankuro's heavy face makeup it was obvious he was also affected by the warmth in the room; his sweat caused his face to appear extremely shiny, almost like a mask. "How did you-?"

"You've been staring at him the entire time, I'd be an idiot not to think that was what you were gonna ask about." He said easily, dismissive as his chocolate eyes flicked over to the proceedings in the center of the room.

Lee hadn't wanted to be so obvious, but at least he didn't have to try and muscle through an awkward conversation. Though Kankuro tried to seem calm, he did fidget a bit, and twenty minutes earlier he had drawn down his cat-eared hood to probably give himself a little more air; so even a sand shinobi had some difficulty in this weather, and perhaps that was a little solace to Lee who was definitely struggling(despite his best efforts to appear collected). "I heard that," He turned away, looking back at Gaara again as he spoke to Kankuro, "That omegas usually stay indoors somewhere during this time because," He bit his lip, "because of safety reasons and privacy."

"Safety?" Kankuro snorted, nearly a laugh, "You think anyone here can take down Gaara?"

"Of course not!" Lee sputtered quickly, not wanting to offend his friend's brother, nor Gaara's prowess, "But, I've just heard that with omegas, it's different when they're in heat, they're…"

"Weak?" Kankuro said, his voice harder now.

Lee felt like he was tripping on land mines and didn't think this conversation was going well, "Vulnerable." He tried to correct, but that was really just another word for weak, wasn't it? He ducked his head, tentatively looking over at the other alpha, the frown on Kankuro's face more defined with the purple paint that lined his lips. "I didn't mean to offend." Lee said quickly, "I apologize for trying to ask about this personal and sensitive subject and I-"

Kankuro held up a hand to stop Lee's onslaught of apologies and pointless words, it was too hot to deal with that right now and if he let Lee keep going he probably wouldn't stop until he was blue in the face and probably begging at his feet for forgiveness. "I get it," Kankuro said, "You don't know anything about this, not first hand anyway." He said with a grin, a jibe that Lee didn't catch onto, the brunette just looking at him with that same unsure dejected look from before. Kankuro sighed, running his hand through his sweat matted short brown hair, "It's different with Gaara. You could probably accept most of what you've read or heard, but Gaara is different. This will be his third, so, it's not like he's had much experience either, but since his first one," Kankuro winced, looking away, his arms folded over his chest, "Well, that one was pretty terrible, and since then he focused more on controlling himself."

Lee was silent a long moment, digesting Kankuro's words, and when the puppeteer didn't continue he decided to ask, "May I ask what happened?"

Kankuro sighed out through his nose, "It hit suddenly. Temari and I didn't really know when he was going to present, he was fourteen and usually that sort of thing happens when you're twelve, ya'know?" He shifted, uncomfortable, "It's not an excuse, but we just weren't there for him, and he had to manage it alone. He did a lot of damage, and there were a lot of casualties."

Lee looked alarmed, "Casualties?"

The sand shinobi shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal, "You know how he was back then. Add on top of it something he knew nothing about, because well," His expression was neutral, "He wasn't formally trained, and he didn't really go to school. We didn't all become a 'happy' family until he got himself under control, and Naruto sort of helped with that part."

Lee was quiet, unsure what to say, or where to interject, and unfortunately his imagination was filling in some of the blanks to what Kankuro was saying. It was easy to do, when the man in question before had tried to crush him to death with sand when they had been younger.

"Long story short, it was a bloody mess," He grinned at his own dark humor, "Since then, well, no one else has forgotten the event either. Everyone in the village knows when this is going to hit, and everyone either avoids him, or maintains their best behavior." He nodded to the table where everyone else in question was sitting stiffly, and those handing anything to Gaara were elderly, "Gaara's in control now, and he knows what to expect, mostly, and he knows his limits. He wouldn't be here if he couldn't handle it, he's not gonna endanger anyone else again if he can help it."

Lee could hear the pride in Kankuro's voice and it formed a warmth in his chest regarding the redhead in question. Lee turned to look at the Kazekage, his posture more rigid, his hands fisted tight on his knees in the borrowed linen fabric of his own ceremonial dress as was custom to wear during these diplomatic events(though he wore his usual green jumpsuit under the mass of cream linen). "Gaara is very exceptional." He said sincerely, unable to curb the raw emotion in his tone(Gai-sensei taught him to express himself when he could, and to not bottle anything up).

"Yeah," Kankuro looked over at the younger alpha, "Don't go getting ideas in your head."

Lee balked, turning suddenly, the flush on his face definitely not from the sticky warmth in the room, "Ideas? I didn't, I definitely wasn't trying to imply, I mean-"

"I'm not an idiot, Lee," Kankuro said seriously, to which Lee promptly quieted, "I know you two are close. Gaara isn't close to many people, and I'm glad he has friends," He emphasized the word 'friends', "But, he hasn't dated, and definitely hasn't shared a heat with anyone, if you understand my meaning?"

Lee nodded nervously, feeling the dominance that Kankuro was trying to assert at him; the aura surrounding the other male had turned stormy, and Lee definitely didn't want a fight. He tugged at the collar of his borrowed robe, trying to calm his nerves as he looked away; submitting to Kankuro's direct gaze, "I understand."

Kankuro didn't seem placated and decided to continue in that same low, stern tone, "Seriously Lee, don't do anything stupid, I know that's asking a lot of you, but don't."

"What if-"

"No," Kankuro said again, "It is not a good idea, whatever you got in your head, get it out of there because it's not gonna happen." He grumpily leaned back against the wall, his back popping as he adjusted his posture.

The conversation seemed to be over if Kankuro's oppressive silence was anything to go by, and the brief glances he shot his way didn't yield anything further. He didn't really know how to read the other man, but thought he had smelt a bit of apprehension, maybe a bit of fear for what could be. Lee knew Kankuro was concerned over Gaara, both on a familial level and just an instinctive level to placate the 'beast' as it were.

Lee didn't want to cause trouble, and he definitely didn't want to cause any problems for his friend. But, there was that nagging sensation in his guts that made him want to act out. It made him want to see what would happen, if he was able to actually express himself, if maybe Gaara would reciprocate what he was feeling.

But, he could also concede that offering a confession of love during a time like this could be taken as insincere.

This definitely wasn't the right time. Of course it wasn't.

Lee didn't even have the favor of Gaara's siblings; both of which were vehemently opposed to their omega sibling being involved with anyone. If Gaara could cause so much trouble in the past being alone and detached, it was an obvious concern over what he could do should he lose control of his emotions.

Gaara's chakra-infused sand was linked to his emotions, the sand itself created with the goal in mind to protect its host at all costs. If Lee listened close enough he'd be able to hear the sand shifting and scratching against the side of the gourd that was leaned against Gaara's right side. If Gaara's mood shifted, the sand reacted, and if he lost himself to fear or pain then the blast radius of his 'weapon' could end lives.

Lee knew Gaara had made strides to becoming the man he was now, the Kazekage of Sunagakure.

But, he also knew he was once known as 'Gaara of the Desert', the demon of the sand wastes. He knew Gaara had a body count that rivaled even the most elite Shinobi given his age, that he had killed his first man at the tender age of four. Gaara had also tried to end Lee's life, once upon a time, but he had also saved him too.

Gaara was complex, despite how black and white he tried to appear to be. Under the surface of him was wars he waged day in and day out. He had suffered such loss and pain that Lee wouldn't ever be able to understand the depth of it. Not to mention he still had Shukaku in his head, which just showed Gaara's grasp on his control was even more impressive.

From that suffering came a need to belong and a warm empathy. Gaara was trying his best to integrate himself into society, and had made it his goal in life to protect everyone he valued, to do the right thing. He dedicated his life to the people of Suna, in penance for all his past 'crimes'. He was definitely worthy of respect, and Lee didn't doubt that his legacy would span generations.

Lee admired him for that strength and courage.

Lee felt honored to be his friend, and he didn't shy away from the feelings that had deepened for this amazing man. But, he was apprehensive, given what Kankuro had said, and from what he knew about Gaara. He didn't know if he should say something and let himself be turned down, or if he should just admire from afar and bask in Gaara's friendly attention.

But, what if someone else tried to woo Gaara from him?

The thought had his fists clenching and his jaw clenching tight. He felt almost winded from the sudden onslaught of possessive anger that rippled through him. No, that wasn't right, that wasn't like him, if Gaara had feelings for someone else and someone else wanted Gaara then he would gladly step aside and be happy that Gaara was happy-

His mind tried to tell him everything he should feel towards the situation, to take the noble high road should that happen; but his animal brain had been provoked by the thick pheromones in the air and the thought of Gaara returning his affections, that it was a little hard to be level headed and 'nice' about the idea of rejection.

Suddenly it seemed the meeting had come to a close, all at once the alphas around the table stepped up from their seats on the floor to bow at Gaara who inclined his head in return but hadn't yet gotten up from the floor.

One by one they shuffled out of the room, the two guards closing the doors behind them and leaving just Lee, Kankuro and Gaara in the space.

"Finally." Kankuro grumbled at his side, standing to his full height and nudging at Lee's hip with the toe of his boot, "C'mon."

Lee got up stiffly, wanting to linger, but knowing it probably wasn't appropriate. He turned to follow Kankuro from the room when Gaara suddenly spoke, "Lee, you can stay."

Kankuro also hesitated, turning to face his younger brother who seemed to be busy shuffling the paperwork on the table, "Lee was going to assist me with something Gaara, maybe he can meet you later?"

Lee knew better than to speak up over Kankuro's blatant fib, given the sensitivity of the situation, and even though he didn't condone lying to a friend he did also fear Kankuro's wrath if he didn't play along, "Ah, yes, I'm a little busy with Kankuro-san right now Gaara, maybe another time?" He said, finishing with a forced laugh(to which the puppeteer smacked him hard on the back to get him to quit).

Gaara was quiet, his green eyes sharp, first settling on his older brother, then bouncing to Lee. There was a wrinkle to his brow that hinted at his upset over the turn of events, but nothing else on his expression gave away anything he might be thinking or feeling. "Perhaps another time." He said evenly, as if trying to puzzle out what it was exactly Kankuro might need from Lee that was so pressing.

Kankuro didn't give his brother time to figure out he was lying and promptly clapped his hand on Lee's shoulder to steer him towards the door, "See ya later bro."


	2. Scent

Author's Notice:

Hello friends! Thank you for taking this new journey with me. This story shouldn't be more than 10 chapters, and most of the chapters are already written. I'm going to be updating every Saturday, or trying to at least. This chapter is a bit short, but is just to add a bit of tension/some insight to Lee's obsession.

The next chapter will be longer, and things will get more steamy in the coming chapters as the 'days' progress. Hope you guys enjoy.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Pushing Limits"

'Chapter Two - Scent'

It was nearing midnight by the time Kankuro had finally let Lee leave his sight to go to bed.

He had walked him all the way to his guest room which was in the barracks below the Kazekage tower. Lee felt exhausted, and not in a good way. The heat of the day had drained him, as did his constant thoughts of Gaara off somewhere probably alone and in heat. Kankuro had him sparring in the summer sun, doing reports on war strategies, and mapping out the Suna territory in detail.

Lee had started to think Kankuro didn't trust him, and it seemed he especially trusted him even less now that Gaara seemed to be the focus of Lee's attention.

He wanted to be hurt by it, but he couldn't really. He didn't know Kankuro all that well, he had only interacted with him as needed while he had been stationed in Suna. Sometimes they'd go on practice missions together, meet up for drills, and occasionally they'd have lunch together(though the topics of conversation were usually shallow). He could consider Kankuro a work acquaintance, and obviously the over protective older brother of one of his best friends, but nothing beyond that(yet).

Lee was still leaning on the door of his room(which he had closed fifteen minutes before when Kankuro had walked him here), staring blankly into the dark space. The heat of the day was mostly gone; it was a balmy seventy degrees at night and much more bearable. His muscles ached, his skin itched from the dirt, dried blood, and sweat clinging to him; his hair felt greasy, and his jumpsuit was sticking to him unpleasantly.

But, it wouldn't be right to use the communal shower alone, wasting water in Suna was a punishable offence.

Tiredly he walked himself towards his bathroom where there was a tepid water basin on a pillar under the small round mirror on the wall. He dipped in a cloth before he pressed the damp fabric to his neck and face; his ministrations were slow and precise, continuing until the water turned a rust color. It was hardly a bath, but he felt a little better for it.

He peered out into his sparsely furnished room towards the mat rolled open on the stone floor and contemplated what he should do. On one hand he was probably tired enough to pass out even where he stood, on the other hand, he was finally free of his chaperone and his thoughts were still on Gaara.

Gaara would normally be in his Kazekage office at this time of the night; he normally 'slept' about two hours early-mid morning, so Lee could catch him before his nap. It wasn't unusual for them to spend time together in the wee hours of the morning, it was one of the few times they could be alone and just have a conversation(mostly Lee talked and Gaara listened) without prying ears.

It sounded very tempting, to get some alone time with his friend(not like that!)

Lee ran his bandaged fingers through his mussed black hair, contemplating, but it was an easy choice. A lonely mat on the ground or spending time with Gaara?

He selfishly wanted to spend time with Gaara; and even though the nagging thought in his brain was trying to tell him to respect his privacy and give him alone time which he probably needed during this trying time of the year, he just couldn't avoid the temptation. He wanted to see Gaara, to calm his nerves and stave off the paranoia he had felt all day that something was going to happen to the Kazekage.

Lee had stepped back towards the door of his room, carefully opening it and peering out into the deserted hallway. It was quiet(sans the sound of the nocturnal desert creatures and the hissing cicadas just outside the walls), he didn't sense anyone nearby(who wasn't already asleep), and he especially didn't sense Kankuro lurking anywhere.

It almost felt wrong, like he was sneaking out under the stern eye of a parent, and maybe the danger of it was what was causing his blood to spark in his veins. He was feeling more awake now than ever, the fatigue brushed off like an unwanted coat, his steps light on the stone floor of the hallway as he made his way towards the spiral staircase that would lead him up and up until he reached Gaara's personal office.

The two usual guards standing watch outside the room inclined their heads as Lee approached, but did little else in terms of greeting. They were used to Lee's presence at all hours of the day, and was aware of his position, so they didn't find it odd when the lanky leaf ninja stepped into the Kazekage's office.

As the doors swung shut Lee noticed he was alone; the space surrounding him was dark, just the moonlight peeking in through the multiple round windows lining the walls provided any light at all. His heart sank, figuring perhaps Gaara had retreated to his estate(though the redhead rarely went there, perhaps during this time of the year he did?). Not wanting to leave so soon, instead Lee found himself stepping further inside, despite it feeling like a breach of privacy.

"I'm not going to look at anything!" Lee defended himself to the shadows in the room which remained quiet and indifferent to the intruder. "I'm just going to wait, maybe Gaara will come back, maybe he just went off somewhere for a minute." Lee also was aware he was talking to himself, but it calmed his nerves a little to think out loud, and there was no one here to give him odd looks for it. Besides, it did make sense that Gaara probably just left for a minute, why else would the guards even let him inside if they weren't assured the Kazekage would return shortly?

He had stepped closer to Gaara's desk, intrigued by the lump of fabric and Gaara's formal wide brimmed hat that lay upon it. Seems Gaara had the same idea as he did after the meeting, to change back into something more comfortable, and it also meant that the redhead hadn't retreated to his estate to drop these items off yet(or did he always keep them in his office?).

Lee felt his heart beating wildly in his chest as he glanced to the still closed doors then down to the pile of clothing that sat innocently before him. He could still smell the lingering scent of the omega in the humid space, and especially so coming from the clothes he was so intensely interested in.

His face flushed hotly with the idea popping in his head, and it definitely felt like a perverse thing to do but the alpha found he couldn't help it when he nudged the hat aside and grabbed the lump of fabric up in his hands. His mouth was suddenly dry, nervously looking around the room as if someone would catch him in this self indulgent act.

He had never been close enough to Gaara to ever really 'breathe him in'; the closest they got was during sparring sessions, and with Gaara's sand, that was hardly close at all. The faint whiffs of Gaara's unique scent he had gotten before was more a tease, baiting him to continue this (unhealthy)obsession with his friend who was probably oblivious. That also made it feel wrong, that Gaara wasn't even aware, but Lee just hadn't been ready to try and confess yet, worried it might fracture their friendship.

Lee brought Gaara's discarded robes to face, pressing them against his mouth and nose; closing his eyes as he inhaled deeply.

The result was immediate, like a drug.

His entire body felt like electricity had just raced through it; the scent he inhaled was spicy, as bright and warm as a Spring day, something distinct and sweet like melted honey. His fingers dug hard into the fabric as he nosed against it, losing himself to the smell; even though the scent was stale, the edges of heat clinging to the clothing was enough to provoke Lee further into his budding madness for more more more.

Lee suddenly wanted Gaara; the ache was more prominent now than it had ever been. He indulged the fantasy of trying to find the redhead wherever he currently was; to follow this scent straight to him, to hunt him. With each deep inhale came thoughts of sex, possession, and blind need.

The animal side of him, which Lee had tried to oppress since puberty had launched to the forefront; blotting out rational thought as he imagined himself hunting Gaara down, tackling him, and biting him-

Never mind the idea of his sand armor, or the sand barrier itself; in Lee's fantasy they were just two starved people that could only find satisfaction in each other.

He wasn't even aware he was growling, barely aware he was groping at the fabric, pulling it and rolling it; trying to inhale all the scent that was trapped in the white linen, trying to find the best pocket of smell like a frenzied dog.

"Lee?"

The leaf shinobi nearly jumped out of his skin, quickly throwing Gaara's robes back onto his desk; his face bright red as he turned to see Gaara staring at him from the opposite side of the room(the door whispering shut at that same moment). "G-Gaara, I was just, it wasn't what-" Lee sputtered, feeling like he just got whiplash from how quickly his thoughts derailed now that he was met with the flat green eyes of the omega he was pining after. "I, uh, was waiting to see if you were coming back b-because I wanted to spend some time with you and, I apologize for um touching your things and-"

Lee was talking so fast Gaara almost didn't understand him, and when he held his hand up for quiet Lee immediately stopped, still red faced and seemingly embarrassed. Gaara didn't seem bothered, but his stoic expression was usually hard to read(more so when most of the blood in Lee's brain had just tried to route elsewhere). "I was going out to the desert, but I came back because I sensed you nearby." He said, completely ignoring what he had just walked in on(or maybe Gaara wasn't too sure what he had walked in on at all). "You can come."

It wasn't an invitation in a formal sense, but it was an invitation by Gaara's standards. If Lee knew anything at all about the redhead it was that Gaara didn't fake anything; he was genuine with everything he did, even if it might offend people. Gaara was still grasping the basics of human social interactions, and still didn't understand complex emotions, but he was making strides, and little by little their friendship was deepening.

It made Lee feel even guiltier that he had tried to breach their innocent walls of friendship with his lust. He felt dirty suddenly, wrong and woeful. He knew he loved Gaara, but that didn't make what he had done any less creepy, and worse that Gaara had walked in on him and didn't even seem to understand the gravity of the action.

He offered the Kazekage a curt nod, trying to shake off his nerves, embarrassment, and shame. Lee was not a predator, he may be considered one because of his gender, but he was not one of those mindless beasts. He was better than that! He could fight his instincts, his needs, and his heartache. He was strong, and with Gaara by his side, he could be ever stronger. "I would love to join you." He said seriously, determination burning like fire in his veins.

Gaara, oblivious to Lee's inner resolve(the alpha often acted strange), merely turned from him and walked back out whence he came, the taller leaf ninja in tow.


	3. Evasion

Author's Notice:

Thank you guys for the lovely reviews! This update is a bit early since I'm going on vacation this week-end. This story is getting a tiny bit more emotional and plot-driven than expected, but I like the build up so far. Hope you guys enjoy. See you next weekend!

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Pushing Limits"

'Chapter 3 - Evasion'

They had walked about an hour into the desert, straight out towards the middle of it.

Out here, with the heat vibrating up from the sands, it created the illusion that they were completely alone. The walls of Sunagakure unable to be seen, blended into the landscape(the dark making it especially difficult to be seen). The looming cliffs just on the edges of the scenery looked especially imposing in the night, the long shadows of the plateaus stretching across the ivory sands.

The distant howl of the coyotes and the buzzing of night insects broke up the quiet; like white noise, barely noticeable at all.

In this vast desert, when it was just the two of them, it felt like they were on another planet; the only inhabitants in the whole world. In these moments Lee could pretend they were closer, that they could be more than friends, that maybe Gaara valued him above all else(like Lee did for Gaara).

Those innocent fantasies didn't seem as bad as the ones he had indulged in earlier, and he could let himself lapse into the thought of it. How badly he wanted to say the words in his heart, how badly did he want to confess to his friend, but he knew now(especially now) was not the right time, and so held it all in(as he had been doing for months).

Besides, Gai-sensei had told him confessions of love needed to be gradiouse. There should be flowers, maybe sweets, and other small tokens of affection that would help get the point across. It should be a completely involved display, one that would ward off other suitors, and be grand enough to be remembered.

It also didn't happen overnight; it could be weeks or months or years of courting before anything at all came of it.

At least, that seemed true enough, given the fact that Gai-sensei in particular had been wooing Kakashi since his youth and only recently did the other jounin finally give into his affections.

Though, it could also have been the fact that Kakashi was a beta; and beta-alpha relationships were just uncommon. But, Gai-sensei had been determined, as he was in all things, and his attention never wavered. Whatever the cause of why Kakashi had resisted, or why he had submitted now, Lee didn't really know. But, it had definitely been a city-wide affair, and there were still flower petals in the gutters of Konoha.

Lee certainly hoped his pining would be acknowledged sooner rather than later. He definitely had enough patience to wait as long as it took! But, it would be nice to get Gaara's answer before they were middle-aged.

But, first, he needed to ask the question; and he definitely wasn't going to do that tonight.

Gaara had stopped, and Lee did as well(though he was quite a few paces behind the omega). The redhead had dropped his gourd to the sandy floor(having unbuckled the holster holding it in place), the red of the ribbon wrapped around the middle of the thing looked like a dash of blood on the glittering sandscape. Next, Gaara lowered himself down to his knees, his palms touching the top of the sand, his body pitched slightly forward.

Lee could feel the energy starting to resonate out from the Kazekage, like a static on the air, the sand gyrating at his feet. The alpha wasn't alarmed, and merely observed as his friend felt out the ground beneath them using the range of his chakra(sort of like a sonar, or the echolocation used by bats).

It didn't take long for the sand just a foot in front of Gaara to start to collapse. The white sand bubbled and burst before it began to sink in on itself, creating a crater, sinking lower and lower until finally in the center a wellspring of rich brown water started to pool up. Slowly the hole began to fill until the water reached the top, the liquid frothy and dark, rich with minerals. This water was not suitable to drink, but it was ideal for bathing.

They had shared a spring like this when Lee had first arrived in Suna; when weeks of boredom drove him to pressure Gaara into a spar. The two of them had gone out deep into the desert, to fight under the midday sun; when it was done, to cool off and wash the muck from their bodies Gaara had fished out water using this technique as he had right now. Back then Lee hadn't been aware of his feelings towards the Kazekage; it was merely a crush then, something simple and innocent. It hadn't made bathing awkward, and he hadn't thought too much of their nudity(since he had grown up using public bath houses or communal showers).

Now though, he was starting to understand where this was going and immediately his heart jumped into his throat and he felt nervous all over again. Did Gaara expect them to bathe out here? In the dark? Together? Naked? When he was in heat?!

As if answering Lee's thoughts Gaara stood back up to full height and began to disrobe; first the black leather armor he wore over his maroon trenchcoat, next the loud sound of the snaps being unbuckled before that heavy coat fell in a heap next to his armor and gourd. Soon the mesh top he wore beneath was being pulled over his head(giving Lee a view of the creamy flesh of his back, the muscles moving under his skin as he reached down to undo the clasp of his belt).

"Gaara!" Lee nearly shouted, breaking the quiet of the night and causing the redhead to turn to him almost immediately(the cork on the gourd having popped open from the sharpness of his voice, the chakra-infused sand just barely peeking out as if expecting a threat).

Gaara's brow was furrowed, wrinkling the red kanji above his eye, his dark ringed eyes shining with something akin to confusion. "What is it?" He asked, his tone as flat as ever, like hewn marble.

"I was," Lee faltered, staring at Gaara's chest, his dusky pink nipples, the hard line of his stomach, the sharpness of his hipbones. The sand shinobi wasn't very muscular, could almost be considered a little too thin, a tad effeminate perhaps, but that didn't make him any less gorgeous to Lee. His almond colored skin unbroken by any scarring, despite sharing the same dangerous profession as Lee(which was attributed to his sand armor and his nearly impenetrable sand barrier). Lee forced his eyes away from Gaara's torso to instead stare back at his face(Gaara's expression the same as before), "I was thinking maybe you should bathe and I'll keep watch, in case something or someone tries to ambush us."

"There's nothing here." Gaara said easily, "Not for miles."

He knew Gaara could feel if there was any disturbance on the landscape; he seemed to be in tune with his environment. If anyone was going to notice danger first, it would be Gaara. "Just in case." Lee said weakly, very aware of Gaara's hands, which were still resting on his belt(having been interrupted by Lee).

"It's been very hot," Gaara said, his tone unchanging, finally tugging his belt aside and popping the button of his pants(Lee forgot to breathe), "You've been out all day, you haven't washed either, and you probably won't be able to until tomorrow night."

Lee knew Gaara was just stating facts, or maybe trying to be a little persuasive(or maybe that was just Lee's imagination). The redhead easily stepped out of his pants and underwear, leaving him naked in front of Lee, and damn it he was going to keep looking at Gaara's face even if it killed him(though how badly he wanted to look lower!); his fists clenched at his sides, his jaw set, and his posture rigid with his need to endure through this obscene temptation. "I'll be fine." He managed to say, feeling winded.

"Is something wrong?" Gaara asked unexpectedly, his eyes as bright as sea glass as he looked up at Lee(who was a whole head taller), his arms having settled across his chest almost defensively.

Lee could almost feel the emotional shift between them; like a heaviness to the air, something uncertain and vulnerable here that wasn't before. It was definitely a strange sensation, something he had never felt from Gaara before. Maybe it was just in his head, maybe he was still feeling a little drunk off the stale pheromones he had inhaled earlier. Maybe he was imagining this entire thing and he was actually asleep in his room and he'd wake up tomorrow with a headache and sticky sheets. "No, nothing's wrong, I'm just trying to be cautious." Lee was a bad liar.

Gaara was quiet, and for the first time he had turned his eyes away from Lee, his mouth set into a pensive frown, "I'm in control."

"What?" He blinked before he could really digest what Gaara was trying to say(in the few words Gaara usually used to convey thought and emotion).

Gaara pressed the heel of his palm to the kanji above his eye hard(one of the few times Lee had seen him do it, a gesture of agitation, uncertainty) as if trying to focus the thoughts in his head, or perhaps to silence the demon inside his mind, "I'm in control of myself. I won't do anything to you. I would never hurt you."

Lee's heart broke at the quiet voice Gaara used, the way his eyes still wouldn't look at him, and how flustered the other man seemed(for the first time in forever). "I know Gaara, you're an amazing person, I have the utmost faith in all of your abilities. I would never think you'd hurt me." Not anymore, not since they became friends(best friends, actually).

"Kankuro told you, didn't he? What happened before?" Gaara said, the flattery unable to penetrate the wave of self loathing that was starting to build in his chest.

"A little," Lee said, knowing lying would not be the best option, and he could see Gaara was struggling with something internal, "But, that's not important. I believe in you. I'm proud of how strong you are now." He was sincere in what he said, had even taken a step forward before he remembered that Gaara was naked and a little unstable, and touching him now would probably get Lee a faceful of sand.

"Then," Gaara seemed reluctant to speak, slowly he turned his gaze back on Lee, but his hand was still pressed to his forehead, his other arm still slung across his waist, "Why?"

Lee wasn't ready to confess his true feelings; and trying to steer the conversation onto himself to try and convey that he didn't trust himself around Gaara would only make things worse. He also didn't need to try and make up danger, he knew for a fact both of them could probably take out anything that would wander their way(be in bandit or animal). Kankuro's words(and warnings) rang loud and clear in his head; how Gaara was sort of 'innocent'(not really the word to use when referencing Gaara) to this entire thing, and wouldn't understand Lee's forthcoming behavior.

Lee wanted to reassure the redhead, to show him he wasn't afraid of him, that he didn't think Gaara was going to snap like he had back then. That was what a friend was supposed to do, be there during the ups and downs, to be their strength when they could find none within themselves.

"I'm overtired," Lee decided to say, "I'm not really thinking clearly. I'm a little woozy and I just didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I know you're in, in," He couldn't say the word and instead just vaguely gestured at Gaara's entire person, "You know, so I didn't think you'd really want an alpha, so so um," He was making sure to take shallow breaths, to not inhale too much of Gaara's scent; it helped that they were still a few arms lengths apart, "So close to you right now. That puddle isn't very big, barely enough for both of us." Which meant some part of them would be touching; there would be no way not to; which was both exciting and terrifying all at once.

"I wouldn't have invited you to come with me if I didn't want you here." Gaara stated plainly, whatever emotion had been on his face before was gone; his hand finally moving away from his head, his attention more focused now, "Are you uncomfortable because of me, because I'm in heat?"

Lee nearly choked on air, having smacked his own chest to get his lungs back working properly and he could not look at Gaara anymore. Instead he looked at a point above his spiky red hair, zeroing in on a tall cactus, trying to collect his thoughts; knowing he probably looked as red as a tomato by now. Gaara had a way of mentioning the elephant in the room; more like, locking onto it, shooting it dead, and dragging it right towards you. "No, yes, a little, I just," Lee stammered, extremely aware of how close Gaara was, and definitely how naked he was. The animal inside of him wanted to draw closer, to touch, to taste, to smell along his throat and really breathe him in-okay no, definitely derailing that train of thought right now, "You're very distracting."

"How?" Gaara's brow furrowed, "I'm just standing here."

"Y-you're naked, for one, and," Lee probably shouldn't talk, but it was a nervous habit, he had a knack for babbling when he was flustered, "You smell very good."

"What do I smell like?"

Lee whined, unable to hold it in, closing his eyes tightly as he tried to compose himself, his nails digging into his bandaged palms as he forced himself to stay rooted in front of Gaara. This was taking a lot more willpower than anticipated; he blamed the fatigue.

Alarmed by the sound Lee made, Gaara had stepped forward a hand on Lee's wrist; the alpha flinched away from him, black eyes wide and shiny in the low light of the moon, "Lee?"

"Please," He said, swallowing hard, staring down at Gaara who looked legitimately concerned, "Let's just bathe, okay?"

Gaara hesitated just a moment before he turned his back on Lee and stepped towards the dirty puddle; easing himself into the water, "You can go, if you want to."

Lee barely heard Gaara speak, and the redhead still had his back to him as he waded further into the manmade pond, sinking down until the water was at his shoulders. "I don't want to go." He said, though Gaara didn't respond, and Lee instead decided to start undressing.

First off were the orange leg warmers, second the weights, third his green spandex jumpsuit, fourth his underwear, and lastly the bandages that were usually wrapped around his fingers, hands, and arms. The modest pile of clothing was left to the right of Gaara's; bright in contrast, a clear representation of how different they were as people.

Resolved, Lee stepped into the tepid water, even at the deepest it only went up to just under his armpits. The temperature change felt good though, just a few degrees cooler than the air around them, but it was definitely enough. There was less than a foot of space between them; the water too murky to see anything beyond the surface of it(to that Lee was mostly grateful).

Gaara still had his back to him, but he was running his hands along his body; cleaning himself with the water, lifting his hands up to trace around his neck, fingers raking up into his hair. The Kazekage was quiet, even the sound of his breathing seemed controlled, and if Lee didn't know any better it seemed like Gaara was trying to shut him out.

Which was unusual, since the redhead was known for being direct; and if he was bothered by something, he normally addressed it. Either with violence, or a verbal command.

But, the sand in the gourd wasn't moving, which meant Gaara's mood was mostly stable, so there was nothing to really worry about there at least.

Lee felt guilty, maybe he had seemed too flustered, maybe he had accidentally 'lashed out' at Gaara. He cupped the water and spilled it over his shoulders, rubbing the tension out of his sore muscles, focusing on one group at a time as he stared hard at the back of Gaara's head, "You smell like the desert," He said, deciding to break the tension on the air, "Something rich and spicy, it's warm and pleasant. Especially," He wetted his lips, digging deep to find the courage to continue, "Especially now, during this time, and it's just a little overwhelming. I'm sorry if I upset you."

Gaara turned, just enough to give Lee a view of his profile, his visible eye hard and a little suspicious, "I'm not upset."

It felt a little bit like progress, and so Lee continued, "That's good, I really would hate to offend you."

"So," Gaara pivoted, turning his body completely towards Lee now, the water rippling around them, "Is that why you were smelling my clothes? You like the scent?"

Lee felt his ears heat up and he scratched at a point on his cheek, glancing this way and that, trying to avoid Gaara's sharp stare, "Um, yes, but I was hoping you wouldn't have noticed me doing that."

"Have you done that before?"

"Wha-No! I'm not a pervert or anything!" Lee balked.

"Is it because of my heat?" Gaara asked in that same overly serious tone, as if he were asking a life or death question; and maybe that was the only way Gaara knew how to pitch words and phrases.

Lee didn't want to have this conversation, but it seemed impossible to avoid it now. He never thought he'd be talking about his feelings, his attraction, with his best friend inside of a mud puddle naked, but stranger things had happened. "You smell different because of it," He refused to say the word, "It's more compelling now, sure. But, it's not just that. I've always liked the way you smell, I like you-we're best friends!" He added quickly.

Gaara edged a little closer, his head tilting up to look into Lee's face; the leaf ninja only looking to Gaara out of the corner of his eye, trying to maintain composure. "I like you too." He said seriously, his basilisk stare boring a hole into the side of Lee's head(but he refused to look at Gaara full on).

Lee ducked his head in an awkward gesture of acceptance, unsure what else to say about it, knowing Gaara meant it in a friendly way. It was an admission nonetheless though, something simple and human, something not usually given by Gaara of the desert. "It makes me really happy that you do." He managed to add in a small voice.

"It's different," Gaara continued, close, very close to Lee, his thick enticing scent wafting up his nose even as he tried to hold his breath, "I usually don't want anyone near me, not even my siblings," He said in that same calm tone, his green eyes finally falling, looking at Lee's throat, down to his collarbone and scarred chest, "But with you…"

Lee waited for Gaara to finish his sentence but he never did; the chirp of nightly insects loud in the oppressing quiet of the night, "W-what's different? I mean, how are you feeling?" He asked breathlessly, shyly turning his black eyes back on the redhead who was still mostly looking down.

Gaara didn't answer, just continued to stare, their bodies inches from each other, it didn't seem the Kazekage was going to finish his thought(Lee didn't know if that was a good or bad thing).

"Well," Lee decided to break the tension, "It's normal to feel comfortable around people you trust, people who are your friends." Disregarding the fact that Gaara said he didn't like his siblings near him during this time; because he wasn't going to jump to any conclusions.

"It's different," Gaara intoned, "Not comfortable."

Lee's heart sank, maybe he had already jumped to a conclusion, "Oh." He said, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"I just feel," He started, lifting a hand to run his fingers through his shaggy red hair, causing drops of silty water to cling to the strands, "That I want to be closer."

Lee wanted badly to close the distance between them, to reach out and touch Gaara, to soothe the agitation he could feel building on the air between them. But, he also knew what this could all mean, and he didn't feel like he was making any strides forward. His feelings might just be amplified by the heat Gaara was experiencing, but they were still true; whereas the Kazekage was just feeling the effects of this time of the year. He steeled himself against the temptation, "It's normal for you to feel that way about an alpha during this time." Lee said, though he was unable to continue; not really thinking Gaara wanted a lecture about the horrors of reproduction.

"No," Gaara said, his brow furrowed, his gaze lifting back up to Lee's face, "I only feel this way with you."

Gaara spoke with such single-minded conviction that Lee was quiet for a minute, trying to digest what he just heard, and trying(and failing) to not get his hopes up.

Gaara continued before Lee could find something to say, "I know myself." Though it had been a long, hard road to get to where he was, the Kazekage was aware of himself moreso now than he had ever been; he didn't second guess what he was feeling, and it showed in the easy confidence he exuded even now. "I know this feels different, but I don't know what that means."

"I," Lee started, swallowing thickly and trying to maintain eye contact, "I don't know either." He knew what he wanted it to mean, but he also didn't want to impose his feelings and hopes on his friend.

Gaara kept looking up into his face, his green eyes probing as if trying to find an answer. The silence that followed was deafening; and Lee was very aware of how close they were to each other.

Lee desperately wanted to spill his heart open, to confess his feelings, to grab Gaara up in his arms and hold him forever. But, he couldn't do any of those things, not now, especially not when Gaara could just be being manipulated by nature.

Gaara looked away first, wading towards the edge of the pool and pulling himself up onto the sand to get out.

The leaf shinobi was sure to keep his face turned away as Gaara got himself situated on land, getting himself dressed in the moonlight and probably looking gorgeous. Lee felt the loss of him, even though they had never touched. He dunked down into the water, scrubbing himself quickly, getting his hair wet, though nothing was cooling him off, or making his thoughts not square right back on the omega.

Gaara had finished dressing, excess sand moving away from his body with the will of his chakra just as he swung the gourd up on his back. The tail of that red ribbon wrapped around the waist of the gourd caught the breeze, arcing dramatically behind Gaara as he turned to survey Lee whom was still bathing in the muddy water. "I'm leaving." He said with no real inflection to his voice, about to turn when Lee called to him.

"Wait." He said, edging towards the side of the pond, getting himself out of the water, sand sticking to his hands and knees before he pushed himself to his full height. He could feel Gaara's eyes on him; his skin prickling with something akin to anticipation. He shook his head once, ridding himself of the ideas that tried to pop up in his brain, keeping his eyes averted as he tugged on his clothes, ignoring the feel of the sand gritty and rough against his skin as he did so. He didn't bother with the bandages and just slung them over his shoulder, clipping on his leg weights and pulled the leg warmers over them. "I'll walk back with you." He said, water still dripping down his face from his wet hair when he finally got the courage to look back at the redhead.

Gaara wasn't looking at him anymore, his profile was very defined in the dark, with the moonlight shining on him. His arms were folded again, his posture closed off from where he stood just a few feet from Lee.

Lee hesitated, his dark eyes roaming over Gaara, noticing a tension to him, could smell a sourness to his scent; something anxious and uncertain in the air around them. "Is that okay?"

"Do as you like." He said flatly, turning from Lee and starting in the direction of Sunagakure.

They walked mostly in silence; Gaara briskly walking ahead(not a pace Lee couldn't match, but the alpha felt that the Kazekage probably wanted the space, and kept a few steps behind). "Thank you for inviting me." Lee said to the back of Gaara's head.

Gaara didn't speak, nor turn to acknowledge him, or do anything but walk.

The steady crunch of the sand beneath their feet was quiet; rhythmic, a white noise that buzzed in the back of Lee's brain. He felt like he had done something wrong, or maybe said something that Gaara hadn't liked; but knew apologizing without knowing exactly what set the redhead off, would only gain him more silence. Maybe Gaara was hoping he had an answer for his plight; but Lee didn't have any other answers even for himself, so for a while kept up the steady quiet.

Finally he spotted the village on the horizon; appearing like a specter in the haze of the humid night air. The shadows of the domed buildings and the stoic, straight surrounding walls told Lee he didn't have much time left with Gaara, if he were to patch things up tonight.

The sand shinobi on patrol were invisible, even to Lee's trained eyes; if they were present, he couldn't tell where, and that was mostly the point. The gates opened seemingly on their own, just enough to let Gaara and Lee slip inside before they whispered shut again, coming together with a huff of air. They walked through the narrow canyon that led to the village, feeling the eyes of the invisible sentries on him.

Lee sped up a little, just enough to fall in step with Gaara, to glance at the redhead's profile, to try and gain some insight to his mood. Gaara's profile was sharp, emotionless(save for the furrow to his brow), his eyes narrow, in the poor lighting of the canyon they looked a hazy blue.

He felt nervous, crunched for time, more so when they reached the main road; their shadows long under the glow of the orange street lamps. The looming shape of the Kazekage building was there before them, their destination.

Gaara still hadn't said a word, or even looked at him.

Lee wiped his sweaty palms on his thighs, feeling abuzz with energy, that flight or fight instinct kicking in. They were inside the building now; walking in a trance, not noticing the guards, or the few late shift workers as they passed beyond them. People quickly got out of their way, like water flowing in two directions.

Gaara needed to go upstairs, and Lee needed to go down.

The redhead didn't hesitate as his foot touched down on the first step, about to make his ascent, not even bothered that Lee had paused at the archway to the lower stairwell.

"Wait," Lee said, and Gaara did; though the omega didn't turn, he didn't continue his ascent either. This moment between them stretched; like time stopping, Lee hearing only the frantic beat of his heart in his ears, pounding painfully against his ribs, "I, I really enjoyed our time together tonight."

Gaara's head turned, hardly an inch, listening.

"Maybe we can go out again tomorrow?" Lee said, holding his breath when Gaara finally turned enough to fix him with a steady stare.

Gaara was poised on the staircase, one hand braced on the smooth sandstone wall, the other limp at his side; his body slightly pivoted towards the alpha. The gourd slung low on his back appeared heavy, or maybe it was just the pull it had on Gaara's slight body, bowing his back a little more than looked comfortable. He looked at him for what seemed like an eternity; Lee's lungs burned for air. Then, without so much as a word, or even a sound, Gaara turned to start back up the stairs.

Lee's heart sank as he watched the Kazekage go, staring long after the other man had gone before he turned and stepped down the winding steps towards the barracks, his feet heavy, his spirits low, knowing sleep would probably evade him.


	4. Scenting

Lee hadn't slept well.

Despite it, he still woke up early to do his morning exercises, socialized in the common room for breakfast, and made it to his office on time to power through the paperwork he had sort of been too distracted to finish the days before.

Which was where he was now, but he still couldn't entirely focus.

He looked over the papers, applied a seal when needed, wrote responses, and his usual reports for his Hokage, but his heart wasn't in it. No, his heart was off skipping to memories of Gaara, to possibilities, thinking about where the omega could be this morning but feeling it wasn't his place to go look for him right now.

He felt Gaara was upset with him, and had still been trying to puzzle out his expression and his lack of words the previous night. Lee wanted to go up to the Kazekage's office and apologize, but that would be a stupid thing to do, since he didn't know what to apologize for and Gaara would probably ask him that.

It didn't entirely help that the heat of the day was still leaking into his office; the humidity reminding him of the conference room before, of Gaara's close proximity, and the scent he somehow still couldn't clear from his nose.

Lee continued to wallow in his thoughts well into the afternoon, the sunlight creeping across his floor from the port windows of his office told him it was getting late in the day. The stacks of paperwork was slowly getting smaller, and despite his running mind, he was actually making progress.

As he went to dip his brush in the ink well, a knock sounded at the door and Lee nearly jumped out of his skin. Somehow he just wasn't expecting company, and he foolishly hoped it was Gaara on the other end of the door; but he knew it wasn't, Gaara never knocked.

"Come in." He called, and immediately the door swung open.

Satsu strode in, all grace and purpose, her sky blue robes billowing around her, the sheer fabric casting a shadow over her delicate figure. Her grey eyes immediately focused on Lee as she shut the door, bowing her head briefly; her short white-blonde hair was pulled into a high bun, wrapped with a teal ribbon. She was in front of his desk in less than a minute, "Lee-san, I hope you are well today?"

Lee sat up a little straighter, his dark eyes trying to read her stoic expression; but he was never good at reading people. He just knew Satsu didn't do small talk; she was all business and took her job as his assistant seriously. It had taken months for her to call him 'Lee-san' instead of 'Rock-sama', and they still weren't 'friends' by any stretch. "I'm well, and yourself? Staying cool?" He said with a smile, feeling a bead of sweat run down his temple at that exact moment.

"I'm used to the summer here." Came her clipped reply, "I see it's not treating you well." She said, noticing the sunburn on his neck and face, could smell the musk of him, amplified due to his overheated body.

"Ah, no, it isn't." He admitted with an awkward laugh; setting his brush down on the desktop, "Is there something you needed?" Lee asked, deciding to cut to the chase, otherwise they could run themselves in circles being polite and evasive. Though, she was already a pleasant distraction; she smelled like linen and rain, her muted omega tones appealing to his nose, probably more so since Gaara still had him so keyed up.

Satsu hesitated, which sharpened Lee's interest, "I overheard that you were out in the desert with the Kazekage-sama. That you two came back extremely late in the evening, looking very close."

Lee immediately flushed, "Oh, it's not, I mean-it's really not like that, we were just-"

She held up her hand and Lee shut his mouth, though his eyes were still bugged on her; nervous and embarrassed all at once. "I came here to tell you I heard it, which means the rumor is already this far. Whether it's true or not, isn't my business. I just thought you should know, since this is a delicate time for our Kazekage-sama, and I'm sure Kankuro-san has already spoken to you?"

Ah, she was offering him a warning.

He appreciated the gesture, but he also wasn't sure what to do with the information now. He knew Kankuro was protective, but he wouldn't try and assault him over a rumor, would he? Lee hadn't seen Gaara's brother yet, and it was already so late, perhaps nothing would come of this at all. Besides, nothing happened! "Ah, yes, he has, and I understand, thank you for telling me."

Usually when Satsu was finished with what she needed to say, she would leave. She wasn't one to linger, so when she stayed standing in front of him, Lee became even more curious.

"Was there something else?" He prompted.

Satsu frowned, staring at a point on Lee's desk before she bowed her head slightly, "It would be best if you did not pursue the Kazekage-sama."

Lee flushed immediately, though pushed through his embarrassment, "Well, Satsu-san, it's a little complicated-"

She didn't give him time to continue, "I think you need to understand our village is different. We do things a certain way. Courtship is not easy, and causing our Kazekage-sama to become overwhelmed-"

Suddenly the door to the office opened again, and Satsu immediately quieted, her eyes darting to Gaara who was standing in the doorway. The Kazekage regarded her coolly, his green eyes hard as jade before his gaze flicked to Lee.

Satsu was the first to recover from the intrusion, she quickly bowed to Lee, and again to Gaara, before she dismissed herself in a hurry and fled the room.

Gaara's basilisk stare had followed her until the door shut, until finally the redhead made his way further into the room.

It was then Lee noticed he was carrying something, a shallow bowl that looked to be filled with a clear gel. He hadn't thought that Gaara would visit so soon, and he honestly didn't really know how to start a conversation. Seeing him so suddenly was a little overwhelming, and the aura he was currently exuding was less than friendly. "Gaara," He started, sitting up straighter in his seat as the Kazekage approached his desk, "Uh, how has your day been?" He asked lamely, acutely aware of the omega, especially the smell of him which seemed to have just gotten worse since yesterday.

"I was thinking about your sunburn," Gaara said, ignoring Lee's attempt at casual conversation; jumping right into the meat of his thoughts, as he usually did. "You haven't treated it, have you?"

Lee often didn't listen to the protests of his body; always pushing the limits, and a little discomfort was hardly something to stop over. Excuses were ready on his tongue; lots of words just waiting to be said, but they wouldn't ease the tension he felt had built, was building between them. Instead he just looked up to the Kazekage who had stalled just to his left, his hip nearly touching his desk, "No, I haven't."

"Let me." Gaara set the bowl on the desk, gesturing at Lee's torso. "Strip."

Lee couldn't help how he jerked back a little in his chair, a flush immediately running over his face. "You don't need to. I know you're busy and-"

"This is aloe vera." Gaara continued, cutting into Lee's panicked sputtering, "I cultivated it this morning, it'll soothe the burns."

"T-Thank you but-"

"Let me assist you." Gaara said, unusual for him to insist on something; though his tone was commanding, normally if met with too much resistance, especially after last night(which seemed to have been a little awkward for both of them) he thought the Kazekage would yield and leave.

Not that Lee wanted him to leave, but the thought of Gaara touching him; after how keyed up he'd been feeling, after last night, and even right now with the omega so close he could smell him-

It wouldn't be a good idea.

Couldn't be a good idea.

But Gaara stayed standing still, boring into him with his nearly unreadable expression(the tension prevalent in the furrow of his brow and the tightness of his lips). Lee could only stare back, a few more quiet seconds passing between them before he submitted to what his friend wanted.

Carefully he scooted the papers, wax sealing materials, ink and brushes aside on his desk to make some space. He then stood enough to take off the thin outer linen robe he wore, folded it and set it on the cleared desktop; what followed next would be the bandages for his hands and upper arms, then the top of his jumpsuit. He left himself bare from the waist up, the sun burns bright on his tanned skin; running along his neck and shoulders, freckles dotted here and there on the abused flesh of his body from too many hours in the unforgiving desert sun.

"Turn." Gaara said, and Lee did as he was told, turning in the seat so his back was to the Kazekage.

This was really a blessing, so he didn't need to school his expression as he felt the omega move behind him(could almost sense exactly where he was). His head was tipped forward, his eyes cast down as he looked at the unremarkable stone floor, his hands on either side of his chair and gripping the wood a little too hard.

Lee was trying his best to stay focused, to keep his head clear of thoughts; though now he could feel Gaara's body heat, his scent deeper, richer than last night, wafting in the humid air around him like a fog.

It wasn't fair that his friend didn't know what he did to him, how he affected him; how much he was in love with him.

Lee swallowed thickly when he heard the bowl move, the ceramic scrape on the desk as Gaara lifted it in his hands, was unprepared for the coolness of cream and the firmness of the Kazekage's fingers as they touched the bare skin of his back.

He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw; fighting back the urge to make a sound as Gaara started to knead his sore muscles with the firm guidance of his fingers and palm, working the soothing lotion across his shoulder blades, the balls of his shoulders and finally up to his corded neck.

When he felt Gaara's hand press down on that particular muscle group he couldn't help the groan he emitted; mortified by how loud it sounded in the quiet around them.

Gaara's hand stilled, "Does it hurt?"

Lee shook his head, his body trembling with the force it took to keep still during the massaging process; even now as his hind brain kept screaming to him about the omega in heat just behind him. So aware of Gaara on every level it was causing him to ache with a fierceness he wasn't ready for. "N-No." He managed to choke out, breathing hard through his nose, regretting it as each lungful just brought in more of Gaara's alluring pheromones.

Gaara seemed to accept his answer, continuing his ministrations(and Lee thankfully didn't have any further outbursts, no matter how good it felt) before he spoke again, "Turn."

"You don't have to-"

"Turn."

Lee sucked in a breath and pivoted around in the seat, staring up at his crush as Gaara dipped his fingers back into the bowl; his long digits tacky with the opalescent substance. He lifted his head, offering his red neck and chest to the omega.

Gaara looked like he was concentrating deeply as he worked the aloe into Lee's skin; across his chest and shoulders and up his throat. He was close, so close they could definitely smell each other, the tension between them seemed to grow.

He couldn't help how his body relaxed, sagged in relief at the touches Gaara was offering. It was wrong though; his friend was merely assisting his burns, yet Lee's mind had traveled elsewhere, that heat scent clouding up his brain and making him want to lean in and get more attention. Gaara's hand stopped, splayed on his chest and belatedly Lee realized why-

The alpha had started to purr, a rumble of a sound vibrating through him so loud it was obscene; clearly felt by Gaara's curious fingers. Lee immediately snapped to attention, sitting straight up, the purr cut off in his throat as his frantic eyes looked over Gaara's face.

The omega pursed his lips, seemed to be thinking, or maybe was just confused by the action. Lee couldn't be sure but before he could apologize the Kazekage spoke, "I enjoyed our time yesterday together." He said carefully, as if he wasn't sure the taste of the words he was saying, his green eyes unreadable as he still stared down, at Lee's chest.

Lee fidgeted in his seat, embarrassed and unsure. "Good!" He said a little too loudly, "I'm glad."

Gaara hadn't removed his hand, nor had he moved out of Lee's space, "I want to spend time with you today."

"O-Of course, whenever you'd like." Lee replied readily, but felt his heart couldn't take it, especially not like this, he could barely breathe as it was, his scent so much more potent than the previous day.

"Now."

"Okay, I just had some paperwork to finish-"

"Now." Gaara repeated stonily, finally those hard eyes looked up to his.

Lee hesitated just a moment before he nodded his head, really wishing Gaara would lean back, or remove his hand, or something because he was really finding it all hard to focus. "Okay. Now."

Gaara leaned in, closing the distance completely, his face nearly touching against his own as he felt the Kazekage nose at his temple, at his hair-

Oh god what was happening?

Lee gripped the sides of the chair in a white knuckled grip, frantically thinking perhaps he had fallen asleep at his desk and that maybe this was a perverse dream and he'd wake up in just a few seconds melting from the heat-

But then he heard Gaara inhale, snuffing at his black hair almost shyly and Lee couldn't help it when he closed his eyes; when he turned his face, his nose against Gaara's jaw, his lips nearly touching skin and finally he breathed too.

"I like the way you smell." Gaara said, his words sounding like they were processed through syrup; Lee felt drunk suddenly, so close to what he had desperately wanted, breathing Gaara in right at the source.

"Gaara." Lee had started to say, there was supposed to be a sentence there, a protest maybe, some semblance of common sense. But, nothing came, and as his name laid there in the silence, it felt more like an admission, a plea.

What would Gai-sensei think of him? Succumbing to temptation? Not giving the man he was in love with the fanfare and courting that he deserved-

But when had Gaara starting standing between his legs? When had he even opened them? When had the Kazekage's hand started moving, his fingers touching his throat, his nose running from his temple towards his ear, and his jaw.

They were scenting each other; Lee could taste Gaara's smell in his mouth, couldn't help it when he had reached up in turn, his traitorous right hand touching against Gaara's hip, his side, and the omega actually leaned into him. It was encouraging, pressing him onward in this madness because that's truly what it felt like, the situation so unreal he couldn't focus.

Vaguely he could hear the sand in Gaara's gourd moving; it should be a warning, like a rattling snake.

"What do I smell like?" Lee asked, barely aware he was purring again; his lips briefly touching the hollow of Gaara's neck, just above the collar of his outfit.

Before Gaara could answer; the door to Lee's office opened and things happened suddenly. Gaara's sand had burst free, creating a barrier just around them, a coiling angry thing that nearly attacked the guard that had just walked in.

The guard looked alarmed, braced against the door he had just opened, the sand inches from him, shaped like spears. "K-Kazekage-sama." He croaked, keeping still as Gaara stared him down like a predator assessing prey.

Lee snapped out of his daze, realizing the danger in the room, feeling the static on the air like a charge. He shifted, trying to put a small amount of distance between them, but he couldn't; the sand was holding him too, keeping him stuck to the chair. When had that happened?

"Y-your meeting is about to start, the visitor has arrived and they need you in your office." The guard muscled on, his voice just barely wavering, the sand hadn't moved; as if the entire scene was balanced on a knife edge.

"Gaara?" Lee tried, hoping his voice may ground the omega enough to stave whatever thought had gotten into his head, whatever protective burst he had felt in this moment.

It took a few more seconds before the sand began to fall, limp as it slithered across the floor and back into Gaara's gourd. Slowly, the omega leaned back and away from Lee, removing his hand and picking up the bowl from the desk.

The guard(who Lee forgot the name of) was staring at the two of them; back and forth almost comically, as if expecting another outburst, or perhaps trying to make sense of Gaara in Lee's space(or the fact that the leaf nin was shirtless and smeared with lotion).

Lee couldn't help but flush at whatever conclusions that man was coming to, coughing as he looked away, trying to busy himself by picking at the clothing on his desk, ready to redress.

"Later." Gaara said, his green eyes on him a moment before he finally composed himself, stepping away from the alpha and walking around the desk. He didn't spare the startled guard another glance, nor Lee for that matter before he left the room as if nothing had happened.

The guard left, not lingering, walking at the heels of his Kazekage as he shut the door to Lee's office.

Lee let out the breath he was holding, nearly wheezing as the gravity of everything fell onto his shoulders quite suddenly. What was that? What had just happened? Not to mention, would people find out about it, would they know, oh god what if Kankuro found out?

He whined in his throat, his body too keyed up, the absence of Gaara an almost tangible thing. He ached so badly for the omega, it was only made worse now that he had gotten so close, now that he had finally gotten a taste.

Lee wanted badly to tell Gaara how he felt; but he couldn't now. He still had a few days left of his heat, there would be no sincerity in his admission now, especially not after that event. Lee also knew that where Gaara was lucid now, come day three, or maybe day four he wouldn't be out in public.

As much control as Gaara had over himself normally; that scene just now proved the omega was toeing a line, his instincts, his animal hindbrain was coming to the forefront of his mind and decision making would be too difficult for him to be in public. Not to mention all he would want come tomorrow, or maybe the next day was-

Lee stopped that train of thought; his face flushing as red as his sun burns. No, he was sure Gaara probably had a place he'd be locked down in, come the worse of his heat, and it'd give Lee some time alone to really process and plan.

He knew there was no denying his feelings for Gaara.

Even if he got rejected, he now knew he could no longer just sit on his hands. He needed to confess, he needed to do something, if only to get this weight off of his chest. He'd feel better for it, and their friendship(or maybe more) could grow, or move past this once he put it out in the open.

Lee had redressed and reached for an empty piece of paper; he dipped his ink brush and began forming a plan.


End file.
